18 Dangers of the Charismatic Movement

DANGEROUS TEACHINGS OF THE CHARISMATIC MOVEMENTSpeak in tongues or you are not saved - It is evidence of the Holy Spirit!One of the chief tenets of the tongues movement is that you must speak in tongues because it gives evidence of the Holy Spirit. The evidence of the Holy Spirit in a believer’s life is their living for Christ. If a Christian lives for Christ and begins to love the world less, that is evidence that God is alive in their life. A person who is filled with the Holy Spirit is a person who is not filled with the world. (Eph 5:18 KJV) "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;" Speak in tongues or you do not have the Holy SpiritThe fact of the matter is that if a person does not have the Holy Spirit, then they are unsaved. (Rom 8:9 KJV) "But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his". A person is baptized in the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation which means their sins are washed away, it does not mean you speak in unintelligible garble. Agreement in Prayer(Mat 18:19 KJV) Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. Here is another misinterpretation of the Bible. The above verse has to do with church discipline and has nothing to do with agreement in prayer. The charismatics believe that if you and someone else agree on something in prayer, then it will be done. Prayer becomes the command of man to God. God answers prayer according to His will and not ours. (James 4:15 KJV) For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that.Physical Healing(Isa 53:5 KJV) But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Here is probably the second most important teaching of the tongues movement. It is the belief that God will heal according to the promises in Scripture. All one has to do is have enough faith and God will do it. Isaiah 53:5 is normally used as the source text for this belief. However, when we search the Scriptures we find that physical healing is not part of the gospel. (1 Pet 2:24 KJV) Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. In 1 Peter 2:24 what is the context concerning healing? It is not physical healing in view but rather the healing is spiritual in nature. Notice it says "we, being dead to sins." That is the type of healing the Lord has in view. We have been healed from Spiritual death and resurrected to newness of life. There is no doubt in my mind that God can heal any and all disease if he chooses to. He has chosen not to. Some people become sick and die, others become sick and get well again. Even unbelievers who have no one praying for them, will become healed if it is God’s will to do so. If physical healing was part of the atonement then every cemetery speaks of the failure of Christ to attain that part of the atonement. The sign of physical healing was already waning in the time of Paul. (Phil 2:25-27 KJV) Yet I supposed it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labour, and fellowsoldier, but your messenger, and he that ministered to my wants. {26} For he longed after you all, and was full of heaviness, because that ye had heard that he had been sick. {27} For indeed he was sick nigh unto death: but God had mercy on him; and not on him only, but on me also, lest I should have sorrow upon sorrow. If physical healing was part of the atonement, then why couldn’t Paul just command the sickness to leave the body of Epaphroditus and heal him? Why did Paul have to wait on God for whether Epaphroditus would live or die? The answer is simple, because physical healing was never part of the gospel. So why then did God allow physical healing to occur? (Mark 16:20 KJV) And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the word with signs following. Amen. The Lord was confirming the initial push of the gospel with signs and wonders and as the Word began to spread the signs began to diminish. I have never read anywhere that in the 2nd century anyone could heal en masse like Paul and Peter did. The true miracles ended in the first century and only one miracle remains today and that is the miracle of salvation, that a dead sinner can be raised to newness of life and serve the living God. Certain people are "anointed"I have heard many times the term "anointed" when referring to a Charismatic preacher or some message which was preached. Every true believer is anointed by the Lord to bring the true gospel (2 Cor 1:21 KJV) Now he which stablisheth us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, is God; The word "anointed" in this verse carries with it the meaning of "to appoint with the idea of assigning a task." God gives us the tasks we are to do. (Eph 2:10 KJV) "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." There is nothing mysterious about this passage as it states that "the anointed" are the ones who have tasks to do. That task is sending forth the true gospel. (1 John 2:27 KJV) But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. The words "anointing" here are the same words "chrisma" which carries with it the meaning that the believers receive knowledge via the teaching of the Holy Spirit who will teach them all things: (John 16:13-14 KJV) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. {14} He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. These promises apply to all true believers and not just a certain few as God has determined that the church universal will send forth the gospel and not just a few mouthpieces. All Christians are commanded to be part of the Great Commission and woe unto them who relegate the task unto others.God is still giving verbal messagesThere are many Christians who believe that the canon is still open and that God is continuing to give messages. However, this is not true and there is sufficient evidence in Scripture to show that the canon is closed. (Deu 4:2 KJV) Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. Every time someone speaks in tongues or receives a so-called prophecy, they are adding to God’s Word. They will tell you they are not but ask them a simple question. Where is their prophecy or revelation coming from? Before the Bible was complete, God used visions, prophecies and tongues to convey His Word. Many of the visions are listed in Scripture such as Joseph’s vision, Jacob’s vision of the ladder, and others. If a person receives a vision today and it is not from God, then it must be from Satan. (Prov 30:6 KJV) Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. Those who add to God’s word will be found out to be a liar. On any given Sunday, there are thousands of Charismatic churches meeting and in every one of them there is always time given to hear prophecies. If we were able to catalog the hundreds of thousands of prophecies given at all these churches, we would find that 100% of them would be erroneous unless somebody makes a good guess. But the problem is, that if every prophecy, which is supposed to come from God, does not come to pass, then they are all lies and deceit. It is obvious then, that there are millions of lies being told in these churches every week which means that Satan is ruling in that congregation. (Rev 21:8 KJV) "But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death." (Rev 22:18-19 KJV) For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: {19} And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book. Here is the definite proof that the canon is closed and those that add to the Scriptures with their visions, prophecies and tongues are subject to the plagues in the Bible. This means that if someone is still subject to the judgment of God, then they are unsaved. When God closed the book of Revelation, that ended any further revelation from Him as we now go the completed Bible for our guidance. Tongues and such widens the authority to fit the one who is hearing or speaking. It goes from the Bible alone to the Bible plus. If God is still giving messages, then every time I need wisdom or guidance on a subject or situation, I must seek out the person still receiving the messages from God. This is exactly what the nations of Judah and Israel did. When they needed direction, they called for the prophets of God and God spoke through them. Therefore, if God is still giving messages the same way, then I must seek those people out. Some say that tongues is only speaking Scripture back to God and that is not revelation: Let's test it: A. Romans 3:10 comes from Psalm 14:1-3B. Romans 3:11-12 comes from Psalm 53:1-3C. Acts 2:16-21 comes from Joel 2:28-32 Conclusion: Repeated Scripture is Divine Revelation because New Testament books were new revelation from God. If one reads the New Testament, one will find many quotes from the Old Testament.ProsperityGod wants you rich - Jerry Savelle, "It is part of our salvation" 7/2/95 - If material riches are a part of our salvation, then why are so many Christians all over the world struggling to make a living. This doctrine that God wants everybody rich is a doctrine of demons because it causes a person to keep their eyes on the physical things of the world and they never look beyond their lust for material gain. It also reeks with the works salvation plan. If I give so much, then God will give so much. It involves a work initiated by man and if Jerry Savelle is right that riches are a part of our salvation, then his gospel is a works based salvation and therefore he is still in his sins. Dreams, signs and visions are accepted without hesitationIf there is one thing which no one questions in that movement, it is the dreams and visions which are taught. This is especially true when the person proclaiming their vision is on national TV on one of the ministries. The problem is that with visions and dreams the Word of God takes second place and all eyes are on the individual with their claim. One such a person is Jesse Duplantis who on the Ken Copeland Ministry stated he was in heaven 5 hours. This man no doubt received many oohs and aahs along with a hundred invitations to speak in churches. Let me tell you why this man is a liar and deceiver. First of all, when John was in heaven, he fell as dead before the Lord Jesus Christ, did Jesse? Secondly, Satan has the ability to give massive visions for deception. Does anyone remember Fatima? Thirdly, Paul was not allowed to discuss his journey into the third heaven, who gave Jesse permission to reveal his? How about the following passage of Scripture: (Luke 4:5 KJV) And the devil, taking him up into an high mountain, showed unto him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. Here is the Lord Jesus Christ in His temptations being shown a vision of all the kingdoms of the world. Are we forgetting that Satan was trying to deceive God Himself? What makes us think he will not try to deceive us. This also applies to those who think they went to hell and those who believe they had out of body experiences including UFO abductions and floating above your body in an operating room. Satan is giving many visions today and the place where he has the most success is the Charismatic movement since no one in that movement checks anything out in Scripture. All they know is Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 14, and the rest of the Scripture lies fallow.Over stresses the power of Satan Another teaching of the charismatic movement is the over stressing of the power of Satan. I was in a conference center once having just dropped in to pick up some materials of upcoming events and I looked inside the auditorium and there was a meeting of Women Aglow Fellowship and I heard the woman repeating over and over, "I bind you Satan." If this woman knew her Bible, she would know that Satan was bound at the cross and has no authority over the believer. Unfortunately too many ignorant tongues speakers think that demons can indwell a believer. This is literally to say that Satan has more power than the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit indwells the true believer and since the Holy Spirit is eternal God, no one or nothing can remove Him from His children and He doesn’t share an apartment either. (Mark 3:27 KJV) No man can enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he will first bind the strong man; and then he will spoil his house. This verse teaches that the strong man must be bound and then his house can be plundered. When Christ went to the cross, He bound Satan in the manner that he cannot prevent any of God’s elect from becoming saved. This is the binding that has taken place. Satan is helpless against God’s salvation plan. God has spoiled the house of Satan as He takes His elect from the kingdom of darkness to His kingdom. (John 14:30 KJV) Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me. Here is a verse which teaches that Satan has no authority or anything in the Lord Jesus. Since we are redeemed children of God, Satan has no authority over us at all either. The children of God should focus on the commission that we have to send forth the gospel and not focus on Satan. We must keep in mind the biblical truth that Satan is a defeated foe. There are even some Charismatic churches which pass out buckets so people can puke out the demons. There was one close to my house which did this. How far from biblical reality has the church gone.Their music mimics the worldIf there is one characteristic that sets charismatic music apart from traditional godly music, it is the worldliness of the sound. Christian rock has evolved from the charismatic movement. Many of them sport long hair, (1 Cor. 11:14) earrings, tattoos, and look no different than the hard rock bands of the world. There is no reverence in their music as it is designed just to get their hearers jumping in the seats. (John 4:24 KJV) God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth. Charismatic music does not minister to the spirit rather it is a sensual music which ministers to the flesh and that is not worshipping God in spirit. Godly music has a reverent tone to it. Charismatic music appeals to the emotions and causes people to lose sight of the one they are supposed to be worshipping. The majority of the time the "artist" is the one who receives the accolades.Over emphasizes and distorts the doctrine of the Holy Spirit(John 16:13-14 KJV) Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come. {14} He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall show it unto you. The above verse tells us that the mission of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer is to teach us about the Lord Jesus Christ and illuminate the meaning of Scripture. However, the tongues movement focuses on the Holy Spirit as continually giving tongues and messages today. The Holy Spirit indwells the believer and equips us for the task of sending forth the gospel. He does not draw believers to Himself but rather guides the believers into all truth. He is called the Spirit of truth and therefore since modern tongues are fake, He is definitely not behind them.It encourages women to usurp authority in the church(1 Cor 14:34 KJV) Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. (1 Tim 2:11-15 KJV) Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. {12} But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. {13} For Adam was first formed, then Eve. {14} And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression. {15} Notwithstanding she shall be saved in childbearing, if they continue in faith and charity and holiness with sobriety. Here is another tenet of rebellion against Scripture. The tongues movement gave rise to women preachers. No woman has ever been called by God to be a minister or evangelist. He would not violate His word the way the tongues people do. The women are to be silent in the congregation. If you ever visit a charismatic congregation, you will see that the women are leading the pack in shouting and screaming. These women who are pastoring churches or passing themselves off as evangelists are in absolute rebellion to God’s word. Women like Joyce Meyer, Marilyn Hickey, Gloria Copeland, and others have called themselves to the ministry. It is obvious in Charismatic churches that the men are not heads of their households, if they were they would be controlling their wives and daughters.Miracles are glorified and used to authenticate a special calling from GodOne of the most evil nets used to draw people to this false movement is the use of false miracles. False healers like Benny Hinn and Peter Popov have used much trickery to dazzle their audiences. In fact, in Kenya, 4 people left a hospital to be healed by Benny Hinn at one of his crusades, and died as a result. In my hearing on the 700 Club Pat Robertson claimed he raised a dead person but in an interview he stated he couldn’t remember where or when - Where is the one he supposedly raised? Let us be honest, you raise someone from the dead and then you have amnesia as to the name of the person you raised. In tongues churches they have healing services which usually results in nothing. There are those who have claimed to be healed and in the last days God has allowed some people to be healed miraculously. Why? (2 Th 2:11-12 KJV) And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: {12} That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. God is allowing people to be healed to allow those who want to be deceived to be deceived. In Matthew 12:39-40, we read: (Mat 12:39-40 KJV) But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: {40} For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. In the time when Jesus walked the earth, His generation sought for a sign and He called them evil. Biblical principles are constant and the same principle applies today, that when someone is looking for a sign, they are showing they are evil. The Bible states we are to live by faith and not by sight, (2 Cor 5:7 KJV) (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) but when we seek a tongue or a miracle we are walking by sight. Walking by sight shows our inclination to worldly things and friendship with the world is enmity against God. Those who seek signs and wonders are friends of the world because the extent of their Christianity is their flesh and its satisfaction (1 John 2:15-16 KJV) Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. {16} For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.Slain in the Spirit (Backward)One of the most exclusive charismatic events is something called Slain in the Spirit. It is when a person falls backward which is supposedly triggered by an action of the Holy Spirit. However, when we look into the Scriptures we find that when backward is mentioned, it is always in conjunction with judgment. Even the name slain in the spirit is erroneous: (Rom 8:10 KJV) And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. The Holy Spirit gives life and does not slay anyone. The slain in the spirit theory does not exist in Scripture and is another creation of this false movement. This phenomenon gives people the false notion that when they fall backward they are somehow endued with some type of divine power from God. This is another deception of the tongues movement. Below are some Scriptures which reveal what backward in Scripture is: (Isa 1:4 KJV) Ah sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evildoers, children that are corrupters: they have forsaken the LORD, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they are gone away backward. (Isa 28:13 KJV) But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken. (1 Sam 4:18 KJV) And it came to pass, when he made mention of the ark of God, that he fell from off the seat backward by the side of the gate, and his neck brake, and he died: for he was an old man, and heavy. And he had judged Israel forty years. (John 18:5-6 KJV) They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. {6} As soon then as he had said unto them, I am he, they went backward, and fell to the ground. As we see in these verses wherever the term backward is written, it is pointing toward a judgment. The Holy Spirit brings life to the believer and not judgment. The believer no longer faces judgment because of Calvary, therefore slain in the spirit does not fit the Christian testimony. The Christian testimony is one of life and not death as backward represents.Baptism in the Holy Spirit is a separate eventIn Charismatic thinking the Baptism in the Holy Ghost is a separate event which means that when a person is baptized in the Holy Spirit, then they begin to speak in tongues giving evidence of the Holy Spirit’s presence in their life. The whole essence of the Baptism in the Holy Spirit is the washing away of our sins. Washing is the substance of the word baptism. A person who becomes a child of God has their sins washed away at the moment of salvation and is not a future event. The evidence that a person has the Spirit of God in their life is their spiritual walk in the faith and not speaking in gibberish as modern tongues are. (Eph 5:18 KJV) And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; (Rom 8:1-5 KJV) There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. {2} For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death. {3} For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: {4} That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. {5} For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit. A person is filled with the Spirit upon their day of salvation. (Eph 1:3 KJV) "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" As we see in this verse that we have been blessed with ALL spiritual blessings and God has withheld no part of our spiritual inheritance from us. We see in Eph 5:18 that we are to be filled with the spirit which is explained in Romans 8:1-5 where we are commanded to walk in the spirit and not the flesh. We saw that the charismatic movement ministers to the flesh and emotions and therefore falls short of walking in the spirit. The Christian is to walk by faith and not sight. When a person feels that they must speak in tongues to show evidence of the Holy Spirit in their life, then in essence they are walking by sight and flesh which is totally opposite what the Christian walk is, but then again what else do you expect from a false movement.Always preaching joy, happiness, worldly satisfaction, the best things in life, etc.Another tenet of the charismatic movement is their continual emphasis on the material goods and happiness. This movement is chief among the elation movements that bring people to state of euphoria and allows them to keep thinking all is well. These people in the tongues movements very rarely, if ever, speak on the realities of hell. Instead of warning their people they could be in danger of hell fire, they are more concerned with them driving a Cadillac. The music does not help focus on spiritual things as how could one focus on the things of God when you are jumping up and down like you are at a sports event. This movement avoids the realities of judgment while keeping their constituents in a constant state of deception.

The charismatic movement is the binding link in the ecumenical movement The Charismatic movement has strengthened the ecumenical movement. All one has to do is look at movements like Promise Keepers which does not focus on separation but rather unity at all costs. They have no problem uniting a Charismatic Catholic and a Charismatic Protestant together and tell them they are brothers. What about the Creation music festivals, which are nothing more than religious Woodstocks, where all the Charismatics come together from all kinds of churches and denominations and what is their commonality? Tongues, signs, and wonders! The Charismatic Movement disregards the doctrine of separation which the true believer must adhere to. Any movement in any church which is unbiblical must be avoided by a true believer. Let us say that someone is in a tongues church and becomes saved, then they must leave that church because that is being obedient to the Scriptures. It is the same if a person is in a dead Protestant Church or the Roman Church and they become saved, then they must separate from those places. 2 Cor. 6:14-18 (Ezek 44:23 KJV) And they shall teach my people the difference between the holy and profane, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean. The Charismatic movement will never be able to teach anyone the difference between holy and profane since they are profane which may also be translated worldly.Tongues are spoken by SatanistsAnother serious comparison to the modern tongue speaking must be made. It is the fact that the same chanting and babbling the tongue speakers do, is being done by witch doctors in Africa and voo doo witch doctors in the Caribbean. Missionaries have spoken more than once on the similarity of sounds between tongue speakers and these idol worshippers and voo doo practitioners. Quite frankly, that would be enough to make me question the practice of tongue speaking and its source.